Weedpatch Camp, Former federal migrant labor camp near Bakersfield, California, United States

Weedpatch Camp, also called the Arvin Federal Government Camp, stands in an unincorporated area of Kern County south of Bakersfield. It began in 1935 with canvas tents on plywood platforms; residents' tents were later replaced by permanent wood-frame shacks. A community building went up in 1939, before which events were held on a covered stage with a piano pit. The camp had a community hall, post office, library with a Works Progress Administration librarian, and a barbershop.

The Farm Security Administration established this camp in 1936 to provide shelter and basic services for migrant workers during the Great Depression. It represented one of the few government programs that directly addressed the needs of these laborers.

The camp's name comes from the nearby town of Weedpatch, and residents called it home while working the surrounding fields. A paid librarian employed by the Works Progress Administration staffed the camp library, and a community barbershop served residents. Before the community building opened in 1939, gatherings took place on a covered stage that had a piano pit.

The camp lies in an unincorporated area of Kern County just south of Bakersfield, near the towns of Arvin and Weedpatch. Several historic buildings, including the community hall, post office and library, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 22, 1996. Access to the interiors depends on the current use of the site, so confirm arrangements before travelling.

Photographer Dorothea Lange documented daily life at the camp and created a powerful visual record of migrant worker experiences. Her images remain among the most important documents of this historical period.